History
About our History
As the research and public education counterpart of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the APhA Foundation was established in 1953 to improve the quality of patient health outcomes through research, public education, issue forums, awards and recognition of pharmacy practice. The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is the oldest and largest voluntary organization of pharmacists in the world, with more than 62,000 members from all branches of pharmacy practice. For more than 160 years, APhA has advocated and provided the means for pharmacists to complete the transformation of their profession from one focused on the drug product to a clinical service focused on the patient.
The historical information included in the table below is pulled from "History of the APhA Foundation" by George Griffenhagen.
| Historical Highlights | |
| Year | Event |
| 1953 |
The APhA Foundation is incorporated during the APhA centennial celebration. |
| 1958 |
The Foundation makes its first grant to the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP). The following assets are transferred from the APhA to the Foundation: APhA Library; APhA Museum; APhA Drug Standards Laboratory. |
| 1961 | IRS officially recognizes the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) organization. |
| 1982 | The Foundation provides a grant to explore “Management Skills Needed in Community Pharmacy Practice.” This study led the APhA Academy of Pharmacy Practice to make community pharmacy residency programs a priority. |
| 1992 | The Foundation begins to exhibit at the APhA annual meetings |
| 1994 | The Foundation launches the APhA Foundation Incentive Grants for Practitioner Innovation in Pharmaceutical Care to seven pharmacists. |
| 1996 |
The first Project ImPACT, a 2-year demonstration project in hyperlipidemia, launched to demonstrate how pharmacists can positively impact patient health outcomes Pharmaceutical Care Scholarship Program launched |
| 1997 | The Foundation develops a new strategic plan to better fit the new era of “pharmaceutical care” |
| 1998 | The first Pinnacle Awards are hosted at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. |
| 2010 | Project IMPACT: Diabetes launches as the largest sponsored project in the history of the Foundation |
| 2012 | The Foundation launches its 2012-2015 strategic plan (click here to view the plan summary) |
APhA Foundation Presidents, 1953 to Present
APhA Foundation Presidents, 1953 to Present
1953-1958 – Henry Armitt Brown Dunning
1958-1959 – Louis James Fischl, Jr.
1959-1961 – Henry Armitt Brown Dunning
1961-1964 – Howard Chamberlain Newton
1964-1966 – James Warren Lansdowne
1966-1968 – Rudolph H. Blythe
1968-1970 – Robert G. Gibbs
1970-1976 – Merritt L. Skinner
1976-1979 – Lloyd McClain Parks
1979-1990 – Joseph E. McSoley
1990-2000 – Jacob Willis Miller
2000-2002 – Brian J. Isetts
2002-2003 – Curt Barr
2003-2004 – Tery Baskin
2004-2005 – Hazel Pipkin
2005-2006 – Marvin L. Dyrstad
2006-2008 – Magaly Rodriguez de Bittner
2008-2010 – Cal Knowlton
2010-2012 – Dennis Helling
2012-2014 – Dan Luce
2014-2016 – Ed Hamilton
2016-2018 – Leonard Edloe
2018-2020 – Ellie Vogt
2020-2022 – Steve Simenson
2022-2024 – Anjanette Wyatt
"Great Moments in Pharmacy"
About the Paintings
In October of 2007, Pfizer Inc. gifted to the American Pharmacists Association Foundation, Great Moments in Pharmacy, a collection of 40 paintings depicting a comprehensive history of pharmacy by artist Robert Thom (1915-1979).
APhA Foundation Library
About the Library
The APhA Foundation financially supports the operations of the APhA Foundation Library on an annual basis. The library was created in 1934 at the inception of the original headquarters building to serve the information needs of APhA and APhA